To love or not to love, that's the question
by maxlovely
Summary: Draco is in love with Hermione when he first set his eyes on her. But can the feeling be reciprocal? Written in Draco's POV. First time please R & R. OC possibly included.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Draco always admired Hermione, ever since he saw her bushy hair in the first-year queues. He never looked at another girl –however he may have appeared to-after he glimpsed her in the queue. He remembered the first time he saw her as though it happened yesterday.

He was in the queue with the other first-year students, waiting to be sorted into houses. He had no doubt that he would be in Slytherin. In fact, if he wasn't sorted into Slytherin, he's sure that he would be inherited. Slytherin is the house he's meant to be in, and he will inherit the tradition of the family.

His mind wavered when he saw the girl he admired being sorted into Gryffindor. For a split second, he wanted to go to Gryffindor to join her, to have a chance with her, to meet her. His mind instantly converted to: "Slytherin is my future." the instant the Sorting Hat was on his head. Thankfully the Sorting Hat hadn't been able to read his mind, or it did but decided to ignore it.

He was looking forward in meeting Hermione (he memorised her name when McGonagall read it out on the First Year name list). Her first lesson with her was Double Potions with Professor Snape-his Head of House. Unfortunately, he didn't think Hermione noticed him. She seemed…all knowing, like she memorised the whole textbook even before the school term has started. Anyways, his chance of observing Hermione was ruined when Potter arrived in class; once more when Longbottom managed to melt a cauldron when the potion he was making went wrong.

His second chance of meeting Hermione apart from the Potions lesson is flying lesson that the first years had to take. Draco loved flying, he hates the fact that the first years never getting into the house Quidditch teams. He only flew twice in his life, as his father has to be low profile. The last thing his father wants him to do is to get into trouble with the Ministry of Magic. The first time he was lucky, he narrowly escaped when his father did something with the Muggle's brain with his wand. The helicopter crashed on the field beside his manor, and was reported for "out of fuel". The second time, he snuck out again, but avoided the Copter, narrowly.

For some reason, everybody else has some flying stories that they want to tell. He didn't think it was true but nobody bothered to check on it. Fortunately, Hermione didn't have any flying experiences; he'd spotted her reading "Quidditch through the Ages" at breakfast on Thursday. He loved how her voice sounded clear but enunciated when important bits coming up. He would love to join her, and sit beside her to listen to her flying tips. He didn't think it was a good idea, after all, Slytherin shouldn't mix with Gryffindor is an unwritten rule. Draco desperately needed to see her, so he went by the Gryffindor table and grab the red Remembrall that Longbottom got from his Gran. He did get a lovely look of Hermione with her head buried in her book. Not for long though, Potter and Weasley both jumped up to fight him. McGonagall quickly stopped the fight as he went away with Crabbe and Goyle, whom he knew from his father's relationship with their fathers.

"Just looking." As he sloped away, smiling to himself that he's the only one who knew what , to be precisely who he was looking at.

He laughed at Longbottom when he broke his wrist, to attract the attention Hermione. Okay, he admit that calling Longbottom "the great lump" may have gone too far, especially getting Patil snapping at him. Nobody knows that he was just trying to be funny, to draw the attention. Parkinson didn't help either when she joined in. God knows what goes on in the girl's mind, probably has a crush on him. He acknowledges that he's quite good looking but there's no need for such…loud…sucking up.

He was only trying to show off, like all boys do when their crush is nearby. He didn't plan for Potter to show off his Qudditch skills. Draco didn't know what Potter was thinking, or doing for that matter. He was sure that it was a fluke that Potter managed a fifty-foot dive, and showing off. It didn't stop everybody in the class being awed by his little trick however. It didn't get him into the trouble as Draco had expected but, he had other plans.

Getting Potter into trouble is the perfect way to get rid of the distraction of Hermione. He knew that she spends all her time in the library, and probably read as much books as she can get her hands on. She would be fascinated by Potter, and that's the last thing Draco needed. It doesn't help the fact Granger trying to help Potter every chance she gets.

A midnight duel that between him and Potter would be a perfect chance to make sure that Potter gets expelled. Of course, the important link being that he won't turn up, and poor Potter would have to explain to the Caretaker how he was "lost" on midnight in school. It didn't turn out as the way he planned, when Draco saw Potter and Weasley in school the next day, looking tired but perfectly cheerful.

It turns out that Potter, Weasley and Hermione are a trio now, bonded together by their adventure on Halloween, when they tried to take down a mountain troll. Stupid of them, but Draco was glad that Hermione wasn't hurt. Scared maybe, but not physically scarred. He doesn't think that anyone knows how scared he felt when he didn't spot the bushy head on the Gryffindor table just as Professor Quirrel announced that a troll is in the dungeon. He wanted to get out of there at once to rescue the girl, but Parkinson grabbed him like she was saving him or something, and they got to the Slytherin common room as Draco's last hope for rescuing Hermione himself disappeared.

He realised that he wanted a girl like her. He needed to take his chance, next year. He needs to be better at something than her, to show her that he wasn't just some snobby boy who's the archenemy of Potter and Weasley. He didn't care about the blood status of her; he just wants her, the girl with bushy hair, Hermione Granger.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"_Draco, I love you" The bushy haired girl whispered into my ear, "I'll never let you go…" My heart leaped as her lips move closer towards mine…I leaned in, her lips inch closer and closer…_

I woke up with a jolt. Something moved beside me, I caught a glimpse of our house elf whose name I often forget. It begins with a D, it's…something… But that's not important. Father just bought me some broomsticks today, seven of them to be precise. He's determined that he's going to get me into the Slytherine Quidditch team. I was initially against it: I'm just as a good flyer as Potter is, there's no reason why I can't get onto the team this year. But Father wasn't taking any chances.

I also spotted that Potter has a little girlfriend today, another redhead – looks like Weasley have more debt upon them. It's so fortunate to be an old family, without a worry for money. Most importantly, I finally got to see Hermione again! After the whole summer, I have to admit that she hasn't changed at all, still the adorable girl she was. I was going to send her some gifts for her birthday, anonymously obviously. For some reason, our house elf is often not locatable physically. I've never been able to get used to the loud crack when he Apparates into my room when I call him, so I always go look for him in his little home (or a hole or whatever) in the kitchen. He's usually there when I look for him, but I couldn't find him this summer. Need to inform Father of this problem. Not that he cares; he's always busy nowadays, having some sort of secret meeting in the Drawing Room. I did hear him say something about "going to put Weasley's name to shame" to someone, but I never enquired further.

I didn't see Potter and Weasley on the train today, but I may have spotted the elf. I didn't see it properly; Mother was nagging me as usual. I wish she would stop treating me as a child; I am perfectly capable to taking care of myself. Hermione was sitting with the Longbottom boy and other Gryffindor, but no redhead (I mean the boy, Potter's little girlfriend was with them) spotted, or Potter. Maybe Dumbledore finally came to his senses and expelled them as he should've done countless times? Hermione was looking rather worried, not sad I noted. Perhaps they were just a little late? I went into my carriage with Crabbe and Goyle.

Hermione was still looking worried in the Great Hall. I didn't see Potter or Weasley anywhere during the Sorting Ceremony. I looked up at the table, noticed that Professor Snape wasn't there either. It was all very confusing.

I found out the next day what happened. Apparently being Harry Potter wasn't enough for him, he had to FLY into Hogwarts. FLY. He's definitely getting into trouble now, I smiled smugly to myself. Things got more amusing when a Howler (a bright red one at that) was sent to Weasley. Look like the Weasleys didn't need any shame to be put against their name, their son has already done it.

I swear that I didn't mean it. I swear. The word just slipped out. She looked hurt. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at me. I looked into her eyes and hope that she understood what I'm saying with my eyes. "_I'm sorry" _came out in a bare whisper that no-one can hear. She looked at me, nodded as if she heard what I said, then walked away to look after Weasley. I wish I was Weasley, getting all her attention. I don't care that he's spewing slugs everywhere. He really needs to fix his wand.

That night, when I found a note under my pillow: _"I know you didn't mean it. I understand. I had to pretend I didn't know what it meant, but Ron had to explain it all over again. Like I didn't know what THAT word is. " _I could recognise that writing from a mile away, it's her writing.

The happy mood that I had didn't last for long. Filch's cat was discovered by Potter (surprise, surprise) petrified on Halloween. After some attempted show-off from Lockhart, our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, we began to disperse. Not before I offended Hermione further. I did not know what had happened to me at that point. She refused to meet my eye, and turned her back on me as she went with Potter and Weasley back to their common room.

I know what I had to do for her to forgive me. I sent her a message to meet me in the Owlery so that we could have sometime for ourselves. It had taken her what felt like hours to come. I looked intently as the bushy head appeared in the doorway, and instantly apologised.

"I'm sorry!" I said the instantly she appeared. She didn't look happy at all, not angry either. She looked worried. Her brown eyes stained with sorrow. She opened her mouth, was about to speak something when a girl rushed in:

"Ju-ju-…" she panted, "and Nick…."

Hermione and I looked at each other, and followed the girl without another word being exchanged.

So Sir Nick and a Hufflepuff have been petrified. I think it's more terrifying because a ghost was petrified. How can a ghost be affected by whatever it is?

Another note from Hermione, this time in my Cauldron, as I was on my way back to Slytherine:

"_Looks like we're going to meet up soon, me in disguise of course. See if you can spot me and the guys"_

What did she mean? I puzzled over the notes for a while, and then tucked it in my robe to have a look later.

Christmas is less than enjoyable this year, perhaps due to the whole "Heir of Slytherine" business. As much as I want to be the "Heir", I'm not. As I looked at Hermione across the table, I wanted to be the "Heir", just to know that she is safe from all this.

She wasn't here, but Potter and Weasley was. I knew it was them instantly. Why would Crabbe and Goyle suddenly enquire about the HoS business otherwise? Wonder why she has bailed on me?

She was petrified with a Ravenclaw.

Father has been sacked from his Governor's duties. He didn't tell me why. The whole "Heir" business was never revealed to the rest of us, but I'm glad that Hermione is safe. I smiled to myself in the train Compartment, as Crabbe and Goyle gabbled on about something. I thought to the note I found in my books.

All it said was: "Love". And I know that my love was returned.


End file.
